How shared or public calendar links are quietly exploited by criminals.
Online calendars have become indispensable for modern life. Whether you’re using Google Calendar, Outlook, or another service, these tools keep us organized, punctual, and productive. But what many users don’t realize is that their calendar might be leaking sensitive information—and criminals are starting to take notice.
🎯 The Hidden Risk in Shared Calendars
Many people share their calendars with:
- Family members
- Work teams
- Friends or collaborators
But depending on your platform’s default settings, your calendar might also be:
- Publicly viewable with a link
- Indexed by search engines
- Accessible without a password
This opens the door for scammers, stalkers, or burglars to monitor your schedule—and plan accordingly.
🏠 Real-World Threats
1. Home Burglaries
Criminals can time break-ins by checking your calendar for:
- Vacation notices
- Business travel
- Events marked as “Out of Town”
2. Phishing and Impersonation
A scammer who sees meetings with banks, doctors, or government agencies can:
- Pose as a professional related to your calendar
- Send fake emails pretending to “reschedule” or follow up
- Insert malicious calendar invites that spread malware
3. Corporate Espionage
In companies with lax calendar settings, attackers can gather:
- Names of key decision makers
- Project timelines
- Deadlines, contract meetings, or supplier interactions
This intelligence is gold for phishing or business email compromise (BEC) attacks.
🔍 How to Know If Your Calendar Is Public
Try this simple test:
- Open your calendar.
- Look for the “Sharing Settings.”
- If the link says “Anyone with the link can view,” your calendar is not secure.
- Google your name or business + “calendar” and see if anything shows up.
🛡️ How to Protect Your Digital Calendar
✅ Review Sharing Settings
Make sure your calendar is only shared with people you trust.
✅ Avoid Labeling Sensitive Events
Instead of writing:
“Dermatologist – Clinic Address”
Use:
“Appointment – Personal”
✅ Disable Link Indexing
If using Google Calendar, disable public indexing in your settings.
✅ Watch for Unknown Invites
Hackers sometimes add events with malicious links. Don’t click unknown invites.
✅ Use Separate Calendars
Create one private calendar for personal details and another for shared/work tasks.
